


Charming

by CatS81



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: F/M, Family, Traditions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-26
Updated: 2016-11-26
Packaged: 2018-09-02 10:38:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8664457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatS81/pseuds/CatS81
Summary: Written for the Fandot Creativity Night 26.11.16 - prompt was 'charm' and/or 'Christmas lights' and/or 'microphone'





	

“Please, Mum? _Please_? It’s Harry Potter.” Arthur’s eyes were wide, voice strangled with excitement. “ _Harry Potter_.”

 

“Arthur, for the final time – Harry Potter does not exist!” Carolyn dragged a weary hand across her eyes, the beginnings of a headache prickling behind them.

 

“You know very well who he means,” Douglas drawled, earning him a frosty glare. “Young actor chap. Terribly good.”

 

“Daniel Radcliffe!” Arthur exclaimed. “And he’s right here in Fitton!”

 

“Just have a think about how likely that is to be true, dear-heart.”

 

“It is, Mum! Martin saw it online, and….”

 

“Well, there you are, then. How many times have I told you about not believing everything you…?”

 

“To be fair, Carolyn, I _do_ seem to recall something about it in the local rag.”

 

“Yes, but it’s usually some local idiot doing it.”

 

“Ah, this year they’re pulling out all the stops, it seems.”

 

“So can we go, Mum?” Arthur turned back towards her, pleading desperation written into every line of his face.

 

“I’m not stopping _you_ , Arthur….”

 

“But it’s the Christmas lights switch-on! We always go together.”

 

“It’ll be heaving! And I have no intention of standing around in the freezing cold with the great unwashed while some stupid actor witters on ad nauseum about….”

“Oh, come on,” Douglas interjected. “He’ll talk into a microphone, press a button and that’ll be it.”

 

“And the freezing cold?”

 

His grin was roguish as he slipped an arm about her waist. “We’ll marvel at the spectacle and I’ll buy you a mulled wine – alright?”

 

She glared at him. “Just the one?”

 

“Oh, good Lord, no. I fully intend to get you as lubricated as….”

 

“Oh, ha ha.” 

 

“For your own warmth and comfort, naturally.”

 

She held his gaze, his charm pulsing in her blood, and huffed out a breath. “ _Fine_ ,” she intoned irascibly, nudging him in the ribs and jabbing a finger towards Arthur. “But I’m warning all of you – if this goes on for longer than ten minutes….”

 

Arthur’s whoop of joy drowned out the rest of her sentence. “Yes! Thanks, Mum! This is going to be _brilliant_!”

 

He took off at a pace towards the portacabin, calling out to Martin, and Carolyn turned to scowl at Douglas.

 

“You don’t need to look quite so self-satisfied.”

 

“As if I would.”

 

“I bet this was all your damned idea in the first place, wasn’t it?”

 

“Christmas lights and Arthur?” He chuckled and shook his head. “Is it really such a stretch?”

 

“You’re all as bad as each other.”

 

His laugh was warm, resonant through the bones of his broad chest. “It’ll be charming, Carolyn.”

 

“I have no interest _whatsoever_ in being charmed.”

 

“Except that you do.”

 

She clicked her tongue in disapproval. “Copious amounts of mulled wine, is that clear? _Copious_.”

 

“And then who knows where the night will lead?”

 

“Oh, go and get my scarf, you pillock. And tell the other two if they’re not out here in thirty seconds, the whole thing’s off.”

 

He kissed her with a flourish and she watched him saunter away, a grudging sense of anticipation settling in her heart.

 

FIN


End file.
